twenty years from now

Let's take a trip to the future.  To twenty years from today.  What adventures will I have taken?  Where will I have traveled?  What will I have done?  What lessons will I have learned?  What heartbreak will I have walked through?  

I will have opened up that studio I dream about today.  You know the art studio, where creative individuals gather.  Sharing their stories, creating side by side, supporting one another, laughing, dreaming, and planning for the future.  I will have been brave enough to just go for it and give it a try.  And it will have turned out to be a success.  People arriving unsure and afraid and leaving confidante, strong, and ready to take on their next big dream.  

I will have traveled a lot.  My passport filled with stamps, my heart and mind filled with stories.  I will have captured the beauty of the places I have seen.  Collecting photographs along the way and putting them together in a beautiful book of memories and stories.  

I will have found a house to live in with Dustin.  A house that we turn into a home.  It includes a little studio space that I can call my own.  My little oasis that I retreat to, to refuel my batteries, create, and dream.  A place to plan for the future, map it out and push through to the next step.  

I will have taught at different Art Retreats.  Inspiring individuals through my own writing workshop that I created.  Teaching that is is ok to just show up on the paper.  It doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't have to be beautiful, it just has to be.  

I will have created my own yearly retreats.  A quaint little spot along the ocean where individuals gather for a few days at a time.  A place to disconnect from the real world and dig deep into connecting with ourselves.  A space where laughter rings through out, spontaneous dance parties occur, individuals arrive just as they are and leave fearless warriors ~ ready to take on the world around them.  

I will have married the man that fuels my heart with love and happiness.  Dustin and I will create a uniquely beautiful, thoughtful ceremony and party.  No white dress or tuxes.  But real people showing up, celebrating love and life and the beauty that occurs when the two collide and are fully embraced.  Traditions born.  Stories shared.  Moments captured beautifully on film and video.  A celebration of finding the one who gets you, makes you laugh uncontrollably, and fully loves you for every single thing that you are.  

I will have had my work published in multiple magazines.  My poetry, stories, and photographs shared with the world.  Artful Blogging, Mingle, Taproot, Uppercase ~ each of these magazines gently holding my work and showing it off to the world.  

I will have pulled together a beautiful book filled with my photographs and poetry.  A stunning work of art filled with spectacular photos and inspiring poetry.  

I will have written that book that is living deep in my soul.  You know the one, about letting go of fears, jumping in head first, and learning how to navigate the twist and turns of the world. The book that digs deep into peoples souls.  Lets them see that they are not alone, and empowers them to take that step that they have been fearful of taking.  The book will have taken me all over the states to share my story and meet individuals in person.  

I will have finally become better with money.  Learned how to save, and have saved.  I will have learned how to make more of it by doing the things that I love.  

I will have crafted a rich life.  Filled with laughter, love, joy, hand holding, moments of pure excitement and passion.  Surrounded by individuals that I adore and who also adore me.  Supporting one another, cheering each other on, Raising the bar for each other and nudging the other forward.

I will have created many amazing memories along side Dustin.  Adventures taken.  Memories created. Laughter, lots of laughter.  Love, hand holding, cuddling up close, walking beneath the stars.  Each of us growing boldly into ourselves and going after our dreams.    

I will be sitting here twenty years from now saying "yes, this is the life I am meant to be living"